Supply bobbin delivery mechanism

ABSTRACT

Supply bobbin delivery mechanism including a rotatable divider mounted on an axis within a tub-like bobbin container is described. The divider includes a plurality of separators, the space between each adjoining pair of separators forming a bobbin receiving compartment. The divider is driven by an indexing mechanism having at least as many positions as there are separators thereon. The container is mounted in an inclined plane and has an opening at the high point along its periphery. The container is charged with bobbins by automatically or manually filling each space or compartment. On demand from the user mechanism the divider is indexed one position at a time. Consequently, bobbins in each compartment are moved sequentially into alignment with the opening in the container whereupon these bobbins slide downwardly under the force of gravity to the user mechanism. Indexing of the divider to thereby deliver a fresh quantity of bobbins from the next succeeding compartment to the user mechanism is repeated on each occasion when a demand signal for supply bobbins is received.

States Patent [191 Qruickshank et a1.

[451 Sept. 11, 1973 SUPPLY BOBBIN DELIVERY MECHANISM [75] Inventors:David G. Cruickshank, North Kingstown; Raymond V. Tata, Warwick, both ofR1.

[73] Assignee: Leesona Corporation, Warwick, R1.

[22] Filed: July 24, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 274,745

[52] U.S. Cl. 221/13, 221/263 [51] B65h 43/02 [58] Field of Search221/13, 10, 113,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,538,990 l1/l970 Brouwer221/10 2,620,091 12/1952 Thompson 221/263 X 1,701,869 2/1929 Woods221/263 X 1,562,152 11/1925 Grenier 221/263 Primary Examiner-Stanley H.Tollberg AttorneyAlbert P. Davis et a1;

" 1, IIIII TIII 1 111 [57] ABSTRACT Supply bobbin delivery mechanismincluding a rotatable divider mounted on an axis within a tub-likebobbin container is described. The divider includes a plurality ofseparators, the space between each adjoining pair of separators forminga bobbin receiving compartment. The divider is driven by an indexingmechanism having at least as many positions as there are separatorsthereon. The container is mounted in an inclined plane and has anopening at the high point along its periphery. The container is chargedwith bobbins by automatically or manually filling each space orcompartment. On demand from the user mechanism the divider is indexedone position at a time. Consequently, bobbins in each compartment aremoved sequentially into alignment with the opening in the containerwhereupon these bobbins slide downwardly under the force of gravity tothe user mechanism. Indexing of the divider to thereby deliver a freshquantity of bobbins from the next succeeding compartment to the usermechanism is repeated on each occasion when a demand signal for supplybobbins is received.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented Sept. '11, 1973 3,757,992

SUPPLY BOBBIN DELIVERY MECHANISM The present invention relates to supplybobbin delivery mechanism and, more particularly, relates to new andimproved mechanism for holding discrete quantities of disoriented supplybobbins in separate compartments and metering the individual quantitiesof bobbins to user mechanism upon a demand signal while maintaining thebobbins, when in the supply mechanism, in a condition where they are notsubject to significant relative motion to each other prior to theirdelivery to the user mechanism. I

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Supply bobbin delivery mechanisms which arecapable of holding a quantity of bobbins in a condition of readiness fordelivery to user mechanism, such as an orienting device which arrangesthe bobbins in a particular condition for subsequent transfer to aposition for readying and unwinding, are wellknown in the art. Whilesuch prior art mechanisms are quite adequate for their intended purposesin most respects, nevertheless it has been found that these prior artmechanisms subject the yarn supply on each bobbin to a certain amount ofrotation relative to adjacent bobbins and, further, cause longitudinalshifting of the bobbins relative to each other. While in the operationof conventional spinning and twisting machines the outer yarn end oneach bobbin wound thereon is coiled around the bobbin, such turbulanceand agitation of the bobbins by tion at which they are intended to beautomatically readied, i.e., the outer strand end located andautomatically fixed at a position on the bobbin where it is readilyretrievable by suitable apparatus on an automatic winding machine, suchreadying is often precluded. This generally arises from the fact thatthe readying operation contemplates the rotation of each bobbin in somepredetennined sequence with a view to finding the outer end andrepositioning it. Irregularly disposed ends on a supply bobbin aredifficult if not impossible to find in practice with present dayreadiers. Consequently, with the endeavor toautomatically ready suchsupply bobbins thwarted, expenditure of valuable time is required inlaboriously retrieving each bobbin and manually readying its outer end.

To the end that the foregoing disadvantages may be obviated, the presentinvention provides for supporting a plurality of bobbins, either inoriented or disoriented fashion, in a plurality of compartments within acircular bobbin container. The compartments are defined by a rotatabledivider which is indexed on signal, as from.

user mechanism such as a bobbin orientor to deliver to such user sourcethe supply of bobbins contained in a compartment. Delivery of thebobbins to the user mechanism is accomplished by indexing the rotatabledivider one position at a time so that the quantity of bobbins containedin each compartment can be moved under the force of gravity through anopening in the container to the user mechanism. on a next demand signalthe supply of bobbins in the next succeeding compartment is delivered tothe user mechanism as the divider is indexed one more step to align thegroup of bobbins in said next compartment with the opening in thecontainer. During such indexing of the rotatable divider the bobbins ineach compartment are moved along without significant agitation relativeto each other. Consequently, any tendency of the outer strand ends ofthe wound supplies on the bobbins to disengage from the bobbins isprecluded.

In keeping with the foregoing one object of the present invention is toprovide a new and improved supply bobbin delivery mechanism which iscapable of moving supplies of bobbins from a storage position fordelivery to a user source while precluding significant relative motionamong the stored bobbins.

Another object of the present invention is to provide supply bobbindelivery mechanism which is constituted as a relatively compact, modularunit capable of use with a wide variety of modern textile mechanisms.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a supplybobbin delivery mechanism which is capable of storing a supply ofdisoriented bobbins and for delivering these stored bobbins inpredetermined quantities to user mechanism while precluding substantialrelative movement between the stored supply bobbins.

Yet, a further object of the present invention is to provide supplybobbin delivery mechanism which is inexpensive to manufacture anddurable and reliable in use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus for possessing theconstruction combination of elements and arrangement of parts which areexemplified in the following detailed disclosure and the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken alonglines IlII of 7 FIG. 2 with parts broken away for clarity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference initially to FIG.1 of the drawing the supply bobbin delivery mechanism of the presentinvention includes a base 10 having a front wall 12 and a rear wall 14which are joined together by opposing side walls 16 and 18. As is mostapparent in FIG. 2 the rear wall 14 of base 10 extends higher than saidfront wall 12. Additionally, the rear wall 14 is cut away at 22 toprovide an opening which confrontsa downwardly inclined chute 24 leadingto user mechanism such as a bobbin orienter 26. Bobbins carried by thedelivery mechanism are. discharged through the opening 22 and movedownwardly under the force of gravity along chute 24 to orienter 26.

Base provides a support fora well which is formed by a wall 32 offrusto-conical shape welded to a top panel 34 which, in turn, is securedto the top of base 10. Wall 32 and panel 34 are not continuous but,rather, are interrupted to provide clearances coterminous with opening22 as best seen in FIGS. 1 and'2. The lower end of well 30 is formed asa circular, inclined floor 36 welded to the lower edge of wall 32 and towall 14 along the margin formed by the base of opening 22. The interiorsurface of wall 32 desirably is highly polished or coated with asuitable material to render it substantially friction free with respectto the bobbins B carried within well 30.

Viewing FIGS. 1 and 2 it will be readily apparent that well 30 opensupwardly for ready delivery of bobbins thereto. Further, it will beobserved that a compartmentalizing member or, more simply, a divider 40is situated within well 30. Divider 40 includes a plurality of equallyspaced separators 42 radiating out from a common hub 44 to divide well30 in a number of compartments 46 of substantially equal volume. Asdepicted, divider 40 is provided with six separators which, of course,separate well 30 into six individual compartments. It will be apparentthat this number of compartments is quite arbitrary and that the wellcould be divided into any number of compartments within obvious limitsto provide the desired quantity of bobbins to orienter 26. As seen inFIG. 2 a gusset 48 is welded between each of the adjoining sets ofseparators 42. These gussets form a floor for each of the compartments46 and are arranged in inclined planes generally coincident with theangle of incline of chute 24. Thus, these gussets, which are polished ontheir bobbin-engaging surfaces, provide a convenient means for directingthe bobbins from each compartment 46 into chute 24.

Divider 40 is keyed on a rotatable shaft which projects downwardlythrough an aperture formed centrally through floor 36. As best seen inFIG. 2 shaft 60 is supported for rotation in an inclined plane insuitable bearings carried in spaced bearing mounts 62 and 64 supportedon an integrally formed yoke 66 which is secured to a beam 68. In turn,beam 68 is fastened securely to a rigid floor plate 70 forming the lowerpanel of base 10. Suitable spaced legs 72 are attached to plate 70 forsupporting the base from the floor. Shaft 60, by virtue of its beinginclined in a plane at a right angle to floor 36, permits divider 40 tobe rotated so that its several compartments 46 move from a relativelylow position proximate to front wall 12 where easy manual loading of thecompartments can be achieved to a relatively high positionproximateopening 22 where the bobbins in any compartment aligned withchute 24 can be readily discharged thereto.

Indexing of divider 40 is achieved by means of an indexing mechanismdepicted in its operative location in FIG. 2 and shown in greater detailin FIG. 3. Indexing mechanism 80 includes a circular plate 82 which issecured fast on shaft 60 for rotation therewith. Plate 82 has aplurality of studs 84 embedded therein and protruding therefrom atequidistant locations around the periphery thereof, the location of eachstud having correspondence to an associated one of the compartments 46formed by divider 40. Fastened on the upper face of bearing mount 64 isa carrier plate 86. A conventional spring-return air cylinder is affixedto the outer end of carrier plate 86 by stud 92. The piston 94 ofcylinder 90 is connected to a rockable crank 96 by a stud 98.

One arm 100 of crank 96 has a bearing 102 on its end remote from piston94. This bearing loosely engages a sleeve 104 extending upwardly frombearing mount 64. Thus, as piston 94 is slid in its cylinder 90 crank 96is rocked about shaft 60.

Mounted on the outer end of piston 94 for cooperative movement withcrank 96 is a block which acts as a support for an anvil 112. This anvil112 is springloaded to be biased in a clockwise sense (FIG. 3) about itsmounting pin 114 and is yieldable in the opposite sense. Further, anvil112 has a channel in its forward end which engages on the periphery ofplate 82. Consequently, as piston 94 is extended out of cylinder 90anvil 112 is aligned to engage a stud 84 and index shaft 60 through anarc of 60 whereupon all of the compartments 46 are similarly indexed 60as a result of which a compartment having a fresh quantity of bobbins isaligned with chute 24, the bobbins therein being free to fall throughopening 22 and down chute 24 to orienter 26. Upon retraction of piston94 anvil 112 is freely rockable to be withdrawn past the next stud andthereupon rock into line with this next stud preparatory to the nextindexing stroke of piston 94.

A second leg 118 of crank 96 is cooperative with a pawl 120 to affordmotion of plate 82 and shaft 60 in a clockwise sense (FIG. 3) but topreclude motion of these elements in the opposite sense. Thus, pawl 120includes a bar 122 which has a pair of locking dogs 124, 126 rockablymounted thereon by studs 128, 130, respectively. Suitable springs areemployed to bias dog 124 in a counterclockwise sense (FIG. 3) and biasdog 126 in a clockwise sense. The dogs 124, 126 are slotted so that whenthey are biased under the force of their springsthey bear on theperiphery of plate 82 and reside in alignment with the path of studs 84.Consequently, when piston 94 is is retracted a pin 134 on the outer endof arm 118 cams dog 124 inwardly toward bar 122. Arm 118 is configuredso that its pin 134 will be released from engagement with dog 124 afteranvil 112 has indexed plate 82 a few degrees, the amount of motion beingsufficient to permit stud 84 proximate to pin 134 to be moved therepast.Upon release of dog 124 by pin 134 the dog is free to move into anextended position as shown in FIG. 3 to act as a stop against which theon-coming stud 84 bears. Dog 126, of course, is free to move inwardlytoward bar 122 under the force of the on-coming stud, but snapsclockwise under the force of its spring to engage on the periphery ofplate 82 after the stud has rode thereon. Thus, the cooperative actionof dogs 124 and 126 act to seize the on-coming stud 84 and control thedegree of index motion for each stroke of piston 94.

Said piston 94 is actuated to its-extended position by air, the airbeing controlled by any suitable signalling means such as a weightsensitive actuator switch connected with the orienter in a known mannersuch as -is disclosed in commonly assigned U. S. Pat. No.

anvil 112 to bear on a stud 84, thus pushing plate 82 and shaft 60through an arc to align a compartment 46 with opening 22. As a resultthe bobbins in said compartment 46 fall freely down chute 24 and intoorienter 26. The weight of the fresh supply of bobbin deactivatesweight-sensitive actuator switch 140 in consequence of which piston 94retracts, drawing anvil 112 rearwardly and aligning this anvil forultimate engagement with the next succeeding stud 84. Thereafter, whenthe next signal is received from the orienter 26 piston 94 is once againthrust forward to engage the next stud and index plate 82 and shaft 60to align the next succeeding bobbincharged compartment with opening 22.The operation of the supply bobbin delivery mechanism continues in theafore-mentioned manner, the empty compartments 46 being eitherautomatically filled with bobbins B as by a suitable conveyor or chute,or manually filling the compartments.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides ahighly efficient and inexpensive. modular unit for moving disorientedsupply bobbins from a storage position to a user source while precludingsignificant relative motion among the stored bobbins.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention herein involved, it isintended that all matter contained in the above description or shown inthe accompanying drawing be interpreted as illustrative only and not ina limiting sense. I

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for handling supply bobbins comprising, a receptacle havinga stationary interior surface, said surface providing a substantiallyfriction-free path along which a plurality of bobbins are simultaneouslymoved while substantial agitation of the bobbins is precluded, anopening formed in said surface, support means projecting into saidreceptacle divi'der means connected with said support means andextending radially therefrom toward said surface to divide saidreceptacle into a plurality of bobbin-receiving compartments, saidsurface cooperating with said receptacle for storing a pluralityofbobbins in each said compartment, actuating means for operating saidsupport means to index each said compartment into a discharge positionin alignment with said opening, at least a por tion of the bobbins ineach said compartment moving along said surface during said indexing,the bobbins in a compartment situated in said delivery position beingmovable through said opening for delivery to a bobbin receiving means,and signal means operable in response to the condition of said bobbinreceiving means for operating said actuating means.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuating meansincludes fluid operated means, said fluid operated means being operableto sequentially move each of said compartments to said dischargeposition.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said signal means isconnected with said bobbin receiving means and is operable in responseto the amount of the bobbins in said receiving means for producing asignal to operate said actuating means.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each said compartmentincludes an inclined floor for directing the bobbins contained thereinoutwardly toward said opening when said compartment is in said dischargeposition.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said surface includes afrusto-conical sidewall. 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 whereinsaid divider means includes a plurality of separators to define saidplurality of compartments, each of said separators projecting from saidsupport means and terminating in close proximity to said sidewall andextending substantially the full width of said sidewall, said separatorsoperating to isolate the bobbins in each compartment from those inadjoining compartments.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said support means includesa shaft mounted for rotation, and said actuating means includes indexingmechanism for rotating said shaft to sequentially move each saidcompartment to said discharge position.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said receptacle andsaiddivider means are mounted on an inclined axis, and said opening is inthe highest zone of said receptacle.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said indexing mechanismincluding a plate having a plurality of studs therein corresponding tothe number of compartments formed by said divider means, and a movableelement operable to engage each said stud in sequence to effectsequential movement of said compartments to said discharge position,said movable element being operated by said fluid operated means.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 including means for precludingmovement of said compartments in .a sense opposite -to the sense ofmovement imparted thereto by said movable element.

1. Apparatus for handling supply bobbins comprising, a receptacle havinga stationary interior surface, said surface providing a substantiallyfriction-free path along which a plurality of bobbins are simultaneouslymoved while substantial agitation of the bobbins is precluded, anopening formed in said surface, support means projecting into saidreceptacle, divider means connected with said support means andextending radially therefrom toward said surface to divide saidreceptacle into a plurality of bobbin-receiving compartments, saidsurface cooperating with said receptacle for storing a plurality ofbobbins in each said compartment, actuating means for operating saidsupport means to index each said compartment into a discharge positionin alignment with said opening, at least a portion of the bobbins ineach said compartment moving along said surface during said indexing,the bobbins in a compartment situated in said delivery position beingmovable through said opening for delivery to a bobbin receiving means,and signal means operable in response to the condition of said bobbinreceiving means for operating said actuating means.
 2. Apparatus as setforth in claim 1 wherein said actuating means includes fluid operatedmeans, said fluid operated means being operable to sequentially moveeach of said compartments to said discharge position.
 3. Apparatus asset forth in claim 1 wherein said signal means is connected with saidbobbin receiving means and is operable in response to the amount of thebobbins in said receiving means for producing a signal to operate saidactuating means.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each saidcompartment includes an inclined floor for directing the bobbinscontained therein outwardly toward said opening when said compartment isin said discharge position.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid surface includes a frusto-conical sidewall.
 6. Apparatus as setforth in claim 5 wherein said divider means includes a plurality ofseparators to define said plurality of compartments, each of saidseparators projecting from said support means and terminating in closeproximity to said sidewall and extending substantially the full width ofsaid sidewall, said separators operating to isolate the bobbins in eachcompartment from those in adjoining compartments.
 7. Apparatus as setforth in claim 2 wherein said support means includes a shaft mounted forrotation, and said actuating means includes indexing mechanism forrotating said shaft to sequentially move each said compartment to saiddischarge position.
 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein saidreceptacle and said divider means are mounted on an inclined axis, andsaid opening is in the highest zone of said receptacle.
 9. Apparatus asset forth in claim 7 wherein said indexing mechanism including a platehaving a plurality of studs therein corresponding to the number ofcompartments formed by said divider means, and a movable elementoperable to engage each said stud in sequence to effect sequentialmovement of said compartments to said discHarge position, said movableelement being operated by said fluid operated means.
 10. Apparatus asset forth in claim 9 including means for precluding movement of saidcompartments in a sense opposite to the sense of movement impartedthereto by said movable element.